Rollerskates
by Kit-Pocket
Summary: Sequel to Mud-caked Shoes: Book signings, killer fans, and family get-togethers. Maybe they should have stuck to rollerskating. L/Light
1. Chapter 1: Circles Are Sexy

Hey, people! I've finally written the first chapter of this thing. Yes, it's the sequel you've all been waiting for! And if you haven't been waiting for it, then, well, maybe you haven't read the first one. This story is a sequel to Mud-caked Shoes, which you can find at my profile. If you want to read this one, you should probably read that first, because this might not make much sense without reading Mud-caked Shoes.

Warning: L is slightly OOC, as is Light, and possibly everyone else. Hey, it's an AU. Just roll with it. XD

Pairing(s): L/Light, and probably not anything else. Who knows? (Well, _I _should, but anyway...)

Rating: T for language and sexual references. Might become M-rated later on, but, ehh... probably not.

Summary: Book signings, killer fans, and family get-togethers. Maybe they should have stuck to rollerskating.

Disclaimer: Kit Pocket owns no part of Death Note whatsoever. This is a nonprofit work of fiction made for entertainment purposes only.

Thank you, and enjoy.

--

"Light-kun, this seems dangerous," said L, standing shakily.

"They're only roller skates," said Light, laughing. "Just don't trip over your own feet, and you'll be fine."

"In that case, I'm not so sure I'll be all right, Light-kun," said L, staggering backwards on the skates before getting his balance back.

Glancing around, L sighed. When Light had told him they should go out more, he hadn't been picturing _this_.

Currently, the two of them were in a medium-sized skating rink, a bright place that smelled of feet and orange soda. All of the men's bathrooms were out of order, and the employees consisted of pimpled teenagers with attitude problems. Children were screeching as they rolled past, there was a man asleep on one of the benches, and the vending machine had stolen his money instead of giving him the candy bar he so desperately craved.

Lovely.

At least Light seemed to be enjoying himself. As he pulled on his own skates, Light smiled up at his lover. "You'll get used to it. After a bit of warming up, I'm sure we'll both be riding smoothly on rollerblades." Tying his laces, he added, "I could've gone straight to rollerblades, but I'm a bit out of practice..."

"Your ego is showing, Light-kun," said L, rolling a bit to get used to moving.

Light scoffed. "Oh, shut your mouth. I'm stating a fact." A hint of nostalgia filled his eyes. "I used to go skating a lot. With my younger sister." He frowned, his brow furrowing. "I haven't seen her in a while..."

"Perhaps you could visit her sometime soon, Light-kun," L suggested. "And then you two could handle your roller-skating urges together, instead of dragging _me_ along."

"You'll enjoy yourself. Stop being such a baby." Light stood, rolling towards L and putting a hand on the man's shoulder to help him get steady. "Can we go on the rink now?"

"People are going to laugh, Light-kun," said L. At Light's exasperated frown, he continued, "And that is not me being unconfident. I am, as you put it earlier, stating a fact."

"L, if you fall on these things, no doubt that they will laugh. But there's no chance of that happening."

"Of course I won't fall, Light-kun. I am not _that _inept. But have you ever, perchance," said L, his eyes darkening ominously, "Seen me _run_?"

"What's your point?" asked Light, raising an eyebrow.

"I could go into detail, but really, the best way to get the point across would be to show you." They approached the edge of the rink. "You will figure out what I mean in time."

As they got onto the slick floor, Light and L slowly inched forward, L getting his bearings, and Light waiting for the other man to speed up. They began to move at a steady pace, and Light remained vaguely confused. What was the problem?

Then L began to enjoy it, and picked up speed. That was when Light saw it.

L's arms flailed at his sides, and he stood with his legs spread, as though he had stopped a split halfway. His feet dragged across the floor. A grin—or perhaps it was a grimace, it was difficult to tell—split his face in two, and his eyes were even wider than usual.

It was ridiculous, and it was slow. L was passed multiple times, the reaction of bystanders a mixture of incredulity and barely restrained laughter.

Light slowed to a stop on the side of the rink, gripping the wall tightly. L stopped next to him, seeing Light's body begin to shake violently.

"Light-kun?" L placed a hand on Light's shoulder, getting worried. "_Light-kun_?"

Biting his lip, Light doubled up against the divider, eyes watering and cheeks turning red. "Hm... snrk... pffft!"

"...You're laughing, aren't you?"

"Bwa ha ha hah!!"

--

"Oh god," said Light, chortling as he pulled off his skates, "That was hilarious!"

"May we stop laughing at my incompetence?" L glared at his feet, picking at the bits of sock stuck between his toes. He hated the things, and wouldn't have worn them if Light hadn't forced him to. A bit of chafing and ripping of skin was a small price to pay, in L's opinion, if it meant avoiding the foot chokers, but Light seemed to think differently.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," said Light, waving him off with a final chuckle. "It wasn't that bad. I just... wasn't expecting..." Light began to shake with laughter once more, and turned away, hiding his smile with his hand.

"All right, Light-kun, I get it." Flicking away some fuzz, L stuck his thumb to his lips. Tasting foot, he gagged and wiped the digit on his jeans. "But you know, Light-kun, even though I am so awful at it, that was actually... rather enjoyable."

"You did seem to be having fun," said Light, regaining his composure.

"Indeed. We should get a pair." L glanced up in contemplation, barely resisting the habit to chew on his finger. "Skates for me, blades for you. We could skate through the park every other weekend. Perhaps I would get more graceful with practice."

Light smiled at the thought. "Going skating through the park?" He laughed. "How romantic. We should do that."

"Are you sure you want to be seen with me?" asked L jokingly.

"Maybe not at first," Light teased back, smirking.

"Oh! I just remembered." L leaned forward on his seat. "I've been meaning to tell you, Light-kun, that my agent called me today."

"And?" Light leaned forward as well, resting his elbows on the table. "What did she say?"

"This may be a bit of a surprise, Light-kun, but _I_…" L paused to build suspense. "…Am going to a book signing."

"Really?" The brunette's eyebrows rose. "But I thought you were going for the 'anonymous' style. What changed your mind?"

"Takada's nagging," L deadpanned, frowning as he remembered his agent's whiny screech on the phone. "She said it was about 'the satisfaction of the people'. I told her that the sex scenes should have provided plenty of satisfaction, but she insisted."

Light chuckled. "So, when is it?"

"This Saturday." Giving Light his version of the puppy-dog eyes (which wasn't very cute, but somehow worked anyway), L added, "And I would like Light-kun to come with me."

Light snorted. "Fat chance."

L's eyes widened in mock horror. "Light-kun! What kind of thing is that to say to your lover when he's in need?"

"I'm not going to go _because_ you're my lover," said Light. "Didn't you say I've become the 'fantasy man' of all your readers? Do you _want_ to see people hitting on me?" He shuddered. "And they'd only be hitting on me because I look like your character… Like a cosplay fetish. Eugh."

"They won't hit on you at a _book signing_, Light-kun." At Light's expression, L added, "At least not around all those people. Around _me_. They'd probably assume we are seeing each other, since you are, in essence, my character."

"There are coincidences in the world, L. And anyway, revealing myself as your lover would only cause problems for the both of us. Maybe we should just, I don't know…" Light shrugged. "Lie low?"

Getting quiet, L drew small circles on the table with his forefinger. "…Are you… _ashamed_ of me, Light-kun?"

Light's eyes widened. "What? No! L," he murmured reassuringly, glancing at L's hand, "I am _not _ashamed of you. I just think it could cause problems."

Still drawing slow circles on the counter, L muttered, "It's all right, Light-kun. I know that I am someone who could be considered out of your league."

"Stop it." L glanced up at Light, who seemed to be fighting a mixture of anger, exasperation, and… was that lust? "Don't be ridiculous, L. W-we've gone through this."

L followed Light's gaze, and observed how Light's eyes were locked on his fingers. _Why would he…?_

As he drew an especially slow loop, it clicked. L's lips twitched into a nearly invisible grin.

"You're right, Light-kun. We have." L's circling sped up for a split second, then slowed again. "So, if you don't want to _come_, I'll stop _pestering_ you…"

"Quit it." Light bit back a soft moan. "I know you know what you're doing right now, so cut it out."

"I'm not doing anything, Light-kun," said L innocently, rubbing a spiral into the painted wood of the table.

Light snatched up L's fingers, grimacing. "Public place. Please stop being sexy."

"You are quite the pervert today, Light-kun," said L. "Really now, I was doing absolutely nothing that could be considered even remotelysexy."

"Oh, of _course_ you weren't." As Light let go of L's fingers, L instantly went back to drawing circles. Light smacked his hand angrily. "Hey!"

"I just love getting you flustered, Light-kun," said L with an impish grin. Pulling his hand back, he added, "Anyhow, in the meantime, I have a solution that ought to suit the both of us."

"Oh?" asked Light, interest perked. "Do tell."

--

Author's Notes: L is slow. Heh heh heh. He runs in such a weird way, I had to ridicule him. XD

Short first chapter, non? It was going to be longer originally, but I've decided to save what I was going to put here for a second chapter. (Need more chapters in this thing anyway, it'll be pretty short...)

By the way: I don't hate Takada. L's agent just needed to have a whiny screech, and Takada just happened to be his agent. I'm so mean to the girls in my fics... XD

I know nothing about agents and book signings and such. I'm being what you could call 'vague'. Tee hee. :

Please review!


	2. Chapter 2: Worshippers

Hello, everyone! I'm terribly sorry this took so long, school and band is getting in the way of writing time a lot more than I expected. And this chapter was difficult to get out, for some reason... DX Anyhow, sorry, and I'll do my best to get chapter 3 out as soon as possible.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

--

Saturday afternoon, and L was in the bookstore. He stood by the doorway, looking at the desk where he would soon be sitting. A sign advertising his presence sat on the table, and there were already a few people in line. L was interested to see that there were some teenage girls lined up, holding copies of Casements tightly to their chest and giggling amongst themselves. They weren't old enough to read his work, were they?

He'd act ignorant of their adolescence. They hadn't come to be scolded by anyone, especially not the author of the book they were holding.

Taking a final glance at the door, L walked towards the desk.

Right before L could sit down, a man stepped in front of him, a polite smile planted on his lips. "May I help you, sir?"

"I am Ryuzaki," said L, holding up the card his agent told him to use to identify himself. "I'm here for the book signing."

"Oh!" The man's eyes went wide, looking L up and down. "You're… Um… I see…"

"I apologize for being late," L continued, sitting in his chair. Pulling his legs up onto the seat, he glanced at the man, who was still watching him incredulously. "Do you need something?"

"Uh… No, nothing." The man turned away, leaving L to his work.

Turning towards the line of people, he ignored their expressions of disbelief and picked up a pen. "So, did you want me to sign your book?"

The girl nodded, blushing. She thrust the book out in front of her, and L took it, opening it to the cover. He glanced up at the girl, who was bouncing on her heels excitedly. "Who may I sign this to?"

"Kiyoko," said the girl. "I-I love your work!"

"To Kiyoko," L murmured, writing the name in his neat scrawl. "From Ryuzaki."

"Hey… Ryuzaki isn't your real name, right?" asked Kiyoko, turning pink again. "Do you mind if I ask you what your real name is?"

"My real name?" Handing the book back to her, the author hesitated before answering, "My name is L."

The girl looked horribly disappointed by the answer, but she thanked him and got out of line.

_Why doesn't anyone ever believe that that's my real name?_

A few more people came up to him, and he signed their books without really looking at them. He had expected that the people coming to his book signing would be much more interesting, but they all seemed so… normal.

As L thought this, a man who appeared to be in either his late twenties or early thirties stepped up to the desk. The man was overdressed in a black suit and tie, with his long black hair fashionably styled and a pair of thick-rimmed black glasses sitting on his nose. With all that black, the man was nearly depressing to look at, but L had to admit that he was at least interesting.

The man thrust the book in front of L so suddenly it made the writer jump a little in his seat.

"You," said the man, in all seriousness, "Are my _god_."

Definitely interesting.

Before L could take the book, there was a ringing from the door. Someone was walking in.

L glanced up. _It's him._

Light stood in the doorway, wearing a sweater and a pair of jeans. His hair was perfectly combed, not a hair out of place, the locks falling down to frame his features. Amber eyes ran over the room, falling on L for only a split second longer than necessary. Though to others he probably looked completely neutral, to L, Light's expression was clear.

_I can not __**believe**__ I'm doing this._

L looked back to the man before him, having only stared for a small moment. He was going to take the book held out to him when he noticed it wasn't there any more.

Looking up, L saw that the man was holding the book tightly to his chest, his mouth agape and his glasses slipping down his nose as he stared straight at Light.

The man's lips began to move, a silent murmur to himself. "Akira…"

L was beginning to think that he maybe shouldn't have made his character _exactly_ like Light.

Light stepped forward, striding past the front desk and a few drooling teenage girls. He browsed around the bookshelves for a little while, as though he didn't see the desk.

The man was still staring, and as Light turned away from them, providing a wonderful view of his perfect backside, L grew increasingly irritated by the man's wandering eyes. Instead of his first choice—breaking those fancy glasses right where they sat—L decided to try getting the man's attention back.

"Excuse me," asked L, the irritation in his voice barely hidden, "Did you want me to sign your book?"

The man turned back, his eyes gleaming with uncontrollable excitement. L wouldn't be surprised if he started bouncing in place. "Did you see him? He looks just like Akira! Like your character!"

"I know my character's name, but thank you." L glanced at Light, feigning disinterest. "I suppose he looks a bit like him."

"A… A bit? But he…" The man glanced between L and Light, looking a bit horrified. Taking a deep breath, the man regained his composure and held out his book again. "Pardon me for that. Please, sign my book."

L nodded and took the book in hand, opening it to the cover and picking up his pen. "Name?" He was too annoyed to attempt politeness.

"Mikami Teru." The man adjusted his glasses, clearing his throat. "Please just sign it to Mikami."

"Mikami," said L, writing it down, "From your god."

Giving a light chuckle, Mikami took the book back. Looking at the signature, he did a double take.

"You actually…" Clearing his throat again, Mikami gave a small bow. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it." _Now go away._

Mikami did go away, but in a direction that L did not like _at all_.

L scowled, his fingers digging into his jeans. Part of the plan was to not reveal that he and Light knew each other, but it was getting increasingly difficult to do so as the black-haired _bastard _moved closer and closer to **his **lover.

He forced himself to look away and go back to signing books. As he signed the book of an eccentrically dressed middle-aged man whose eye seemed to be stuck in an endless cycle of flirtatious winking, L told himself, _Light won't respond—not the way Mikami wants, at least—so I have nothing to worry about._

And he was right. As Mikami attempted to make conversation, Light acknowledged him just enough to be polite before going back to his browsing. Mikami attempted to get small, casual touches in, but Light moved away. Despite these obvious rejections, Mikami only seemed to get more desperate, following Light everywhere and looking like a kicked puppy.

Thankfully, before L could get too irritated to keep up the strangers façade any longer, Light picked up a book with the name 'Ryuzaki' on the side.

After the book was purchased, Light stepped into the line for getting it signed. He ignored the obvious stares from others in the line, and only smiled at someone who commented on the likeness between him and Akira. Finally, Light got to the front of the line, and handed L his book.

"Hello," said Light, smiling down at the author. "Could you sign this for me, please?"

"That is what I'm here for," said L, giving a sly smirk back. Pen in hand, L flipped to the cover page. He glanced up at Light, eyes shining like he was telling a joke. "Who do I sign this to?"

"Light. Yagami Light."

"Yagami… Light," L murmured as he wrote it down. Hiding the book from Light for a second, L drew a few unnecessary hearts and wrote little messages Light could have fun blushing over later. Before Light's leaning could give him a view of his ferocious scribbling, L closed the book and handed it back to Light. "I'm assuming you've read my book. What did you think of it?"

Light smiled. "I…"

"Light?"

In an instant, Casements was slammed back onto the table. Light turned around, a wide, pleasant-surprise grin on his face. "Mom!"

--

"It was good to see you, Light," said Sachiko, waving at her son. "See you on Wednesday!"

"Yes, see you then," said Light, waving goodbye as his mother stepped out of the store. With a sigh, he followed suit shortly after, going around the side to the parking lot.

He opened the door to his car and sat down, pulling the door closed after him. "Sorry about that."

"I've been sitting here for approximately 28 minutes and 2 seconds, Light-kun," said L, sitting upside down in his seat, his feet wrapped around the headrest and his hair falling back over the edge, his fingers resting on his stomach. "What did your mother want?"

Light stared at his position for a moment, but went back to speaking like nothing was unusual. "Well, she just wanted to talk at first, but then she invited me to dinner on Wednesday."

L looked at his toes, curling and uncurling them around the fabric of the padded headrest. "And you said?"

"Yes, of course. It's my family," said Light, leaning back in his seat. "Did we have something planned for that day?"

"No, it's just…" L chewed on his thumb, brow furrowing. "Will they not ask questions about your personal life? Does Light-kun wish to reveal our relationship just yet?"

Light glanced at L. "Do you… want to come and meet them?"

"I do not think that would be wise just yet. I would most likely not be welcomed with open arms."

"Then what?"

"You should probably go alone," said L, "But I would like to know what happens."

Light shrugged. "I'll tell you, then."

L shook his head. "That is not enough."

Light raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean? Why not?"

"It would not satisfy me. I want to know _everything_." L removed his feet from the headrest, lifting them to the dashboard and pushing on it and the seat simultaneously so he flipped over, his face in the seat. He turned over and removed his feet, sitting back.

"There _had_ to be a better way than that to sit up."

"Oh well. I'm facing forward now, whether my way was practical or not," said L, pulling out his car keys. "As for seeing it all, a plan is forming in my mind... But for now, we should go home."

As they pulled out of the parking lot and into the street, neither of them noticed the man in black watching from the shadows.

--

**Author's Notes:** Their plan wasn't as exciting as you expected, was it? XD But I wonder what L's plan for the dinner will be...

And gasp! The first mention of the 'killer fan'... Which is an absolute exaggeration, by the way. There are no murder attempts in this fic. XD Though there may be some stalking, but it's L's fault. Making his character exactly like Light... And hey, he named him "Akira", meaning "intelligence"! L is _sooo_ creative. XD

Please review! Reviewers get virtual cookies! :'D


	3. Chapter 3: Sardoodledum

Sorry this took so long, guys. I had difficulty writing this one, for some reason. But tonight, I just said, "To hell with it!" and wrote the rest.

Also, about the chapter title: 'sardoodledum' means 'melodrama'. God, I love that word.

So, here it is!

--

"Light-kuuuunn," L called, closing the door and kicking off his shoes. In his hands he held three large plastic bags with the words 'Shinobi Su-pa' on the side. He held them up, waving them in the air. "I have something for yoooouuuu…"

Light jumped in his seat on the couch, snapping the book he was holding shut. He turned to L, completely flustered, giving the calmest smile he could muster. "Hi, L! You're back early."

L grinned. "Liking my messages, Light-kun?"

Light blushed and grimaced. "They're very… explicit. I can't keep this on our bookshelves."

"You can keep it on your bedside table if you ever get lonely, Light-kun." L sat down next to Light on the couch, placing his bags on the coffee table. Pulling his knees to his chest, he pulled various boxes and packages from the plastic.

"What is all that?" asked Light, leaning on L's shoulder.

"This, my dear Light-kun," said L, holding up a box marked 'fragile' with his forefinger and thumb, "Is—"

It slipped out of his fingers, smacked against the edge of the table, and fell to the floor.

"…" L quickly picked the box back up, using both hands and all of his fingers this time. "This, my dear Light-kun," he began again, "Is my eye into another world."

"…A spy camera," Light deadpanned.

"A _miniature_ spy camera." L began to open the box, ripping through tape and cardboard.

"…For?"

"There we go…" Out of the box, L pulled… another box. "…damn." As he began pulling _that_ box open, he explained, "For spying, of course, Light-kun."

"Spying on…?" Light's look of confusion changed to irritated understanding. "Oh, come _on_, L!"

L said nothing, his tongue sticking out of his mouth in concentration as he struggled to tear an exceptionally strong piece of tape in two with only his thumb and forefinger.

"Just let me tell you what happens, L! It's not even that big a deal!" Light slapped a hand to his forehead, groaning. "Don't tell me this is just something you've always wanted to do, like that 'private detective' charade…"

_That_ L responded to. He turned to Light, annoyed. "I had not been planning that, Light-kun. As I have insisted time and time again, I did not want to lie to you, it just slipped out and I didn't want you to be disappointed by me. It had no hurtful intentions, it was a…"

"A way to win me over, I know, I know," Light interrupted, kissing the pointed tip of L's nose. "But you didn't need tricks to do that. Why can't you just be natural with my family too? They'd love you, I'm sure."

"They would _not_, Light-kun. _I'm_ sure of _that_." L turned away, the box open but the tape stuck to his fingers. He scowled and began pulling at it, the tape only getting stuck to other fingers until both of his hands were tangled together. It was like the tape was multiplying, wrapping around his fingers and then his wrists. L blanched, waving his hands in the air, trying to get himself free.

Light watched on as L struggled, thrashing like he was having a heart attack. When L began to get the tape from the other packages tangled in the mess, Light sighed and moved to help. "Okay, maybe they'd be weirded out by you, but…"

Before Light could finish his sentence, a twisted mass of tape and flesh smacked him in between the eyes.

"Ack!" L's eyes widened as his hands became stuck to his lover's face. "I apologize, Light-kun!"

"Just get it off," Light muttered, his eyes squeezed shut.

L nodded and quickly ripped his hands away.

"HIIIIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

--

"You still look lovely without those eyelashes, Light-kun."

"I don't want to look 'lovely', L, and don't worry about it. It's no big deal."

"Then why won't you look at me, Light-kun?"

"Don't. Worry. About it."

L twiddled his thumbs, looking at the floor. "So, Light-kun… Would you be willing to wear this spy camera in your tie on Wednesday?"

"Yes. Sure. Whatever." Light continued to glare at the wall, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Thank you, Light-kun…" L scooted away, not liking the dark aura coming from the brunette. "I'll just be going now…"

With that, L darted away, and Light heard a door shut on the other side of the house.

Storming into the kitchen, Light muttered, "That man is getting salt in his cake tonight…"

--

Light shifted on his feet in front of his parent's home, adjusting his tie as carefully as possible. He wasn't sure why he had agreed to this camera plan; he would much rather introduce L to his parents rather than spy on them. But he had always found it difficult to refuse L anything for long, and he had to admit, he was a _little_ afraid of how his father would have reacted. Sighing, he pushed the doorbell button, vowing to not focus on it too much.

Sachiko opened the door, her face lighting up at the sight of her son. "Light-kun! I'm so glad you could make it. And you look so handsome!"

"Thank you, Mom," said Light, leaning in and kissing her cheek. "I hope I don't seem overdressed…" He gestured to his dress pants and tie, smiling sheepishly.

"Not at all, Light-kun!" Stepping aside, she gave Light room to come inside. "Please, come in! Dinner is just about ready."

"Thank you, Mom," Light said again, stepping inside. He looked all around, not really for himself, but for the man watching at home to see.

The home was rather like his own in layout, but there was less artwork on the walls and more furniture. A few potted plants sat in various places around the room, tropical in appearance and aromatic in scent. A bookshelf rested on the left wall, and a few couches were sitting in the middle of the room. The walls were painted a very faint purple, and a large, expensive television sat on an extravagant-looking entertainment center.

It wasn't much different from when Light had last visited, though the television was new. He supposed it had been mainly bought for Sayu, who was a big fan of music programs and had always complained about the small screen of their old television.

"Is something wrong, Light-kun?" asked Sachiko, snapping Light out of his thoughts.

"No, nothing," Light assured her. "Just looking around."

As Light followed his mother into the kitchen, he wondered what L was doing.

--

L was watching. He was watching very, very closely. Even he wasn't sure what he was looking for, but damn if it wasn't fun.

The camera was sending a signal to the television screen in L and Light's living room, on which L was seeing everything Light was seeing. Admittedly, L found the house very boring. But looking in on these private conversations without the family knowing... That was exciting. L knew it was pretty sadistic of him to like spying, and he knew if he told anyone they would accuse him of being a voyeur, but hey, L didn't get out much.

Just as he was thinking this, the image on the screen went black, and L's eyes widened.

_What the smokestack?_

He sat up in his chair to stand and see if he could fix the problem, but the blackness suddenly backed away. The malfunction was revealed to be a black sweater, fitting over a slim, feminine torso.

_Ahh. Light's sister._

"Light!" Sayu squealed, her voice smooth and rather cute. She bounced on her heels, her arms wrapped around Light's neck. "It's so good to see you!"

_I wish she would move,_ thought L, growing uncomfortable with having a close-up of his lover's younger sister's chest on the screen.

"Are you missing some eyelashes, Light?" asked Sayu, leaning in closer.

L grimaced, glancing away. _Light... Make her __**move**__!_

"Yes; an incident with some tape." As though sensing L's discomfort, Light backed up, and the author was now able to focus on Sayu's face.

She had a very cute face, round and plump, with large, black eyes. "That was stupid of you, Light!" she said, a charming grin crossing her lips.

_Not as lovely as her brother, though,_ L couldn't help but think. _Poor thing._

With that rather rude bit of pity, L went back to paying attention to the screen. Light was walking into a small room, where a man sat at a wooden counter. The man was big, with very broad shoulders and thick arms. His hair was slicked back, and he had an impressive moustache sitting on his lip. He just screamed 'police chief'. Very tough, very intimidating, very homophobic police chief. L was glad he hadn't gone.

"Hello, Light," said the man, standing up.

"Dad." Light paused, and his father hugged him, and L could tell how awkward it was, even with the screen blackened again.

_Do I sense father-son issues here?_

Soichiro backed away and smiled weakly, his arms stiff at his sides. L wondered if Light smiled back.

--

"So, Light-kun. How is everything going with work?" asked Sachiko with a smile.

"Just fine, Mom," said Light, taking another mouthful of rice from his chopsticks. "There are some signs that I could be offered a promotion soon, though I'm not sure."

"How wonderful! I hope you get it, Light-kun!" Sachiko turned to her husband, her smile looking more strained. "Isn't that wonderful, dear? Light's going to be working right alongside you one of these days!"

A small grunt coming from his throat, Soichiro's lips twitched upward for a moment before he turned back to his meal.

Sachiko gave a small sigh, turning back to her food. Sayu leaned towards her brother, wiggling her eyebrows. "And what about with Misa-chan? Eh? Eh?" she asked, digging her elbow into Light's side playfully.

Light chuckled. "I'm afraid I'm not seeing Misa anymore, Sayu."

"What?" said Sayu, eyes wide. "Why not? She was so cute and sweet!"

"Yes," said Soichiro, looking at Light fiercely, "Why on earth would you let go of such a wonderful woman?"

"She left _me_," Light confessed, looking to the side. "There was… someone else, apparently."

"Oh, Light-kun, I'm so sorry," said Sachiko, reaching over the table to pat his hand comfortingly.

"So," said Soichiro, "You couldn't fulfill her needs?" His eyes flashed dangerously. "A woman needs to be cared for, Light. If you don't, they'll go to find something better for themselves."

Light's face flushed with shame, and he didn't look up.

"When?" asked Sayu.

"A few months ago, actually," said Light, his voice strong and his face calm, but his eyes still on the table. "I probably should have told you guys. Sorry."

"It's all right, Light-kun. Have you been seeing anyone else since then?" asked Sachiko.

Light glanced up at his father, whose expression still showed the disappointment and anger that lay beneath.

"No," he said, "I haven't."

--

L's hand tightened on his knee. Those words hurt.

He wasn't upset at Light's denial, of course; he had wanted him to hide their relationship. But he knew that Light was not only saying this because L asked him to, but also because he was afraid of disappointing his father.

L had been right. There was no way he would have been accepted. Perhaps Light had just been reaching for a pipe dream when he had asked L to come with him, a sliver of hope that his father would accept them and everything would be okay.

Light was so pure that way; it made L sigh.

L thanked the gods that he had thought of using the camera. There was no way that Light would have revealed this information about his relationship with his father otherwise.

But what exactly was Soichiro's _problem_?

--

"Light-kun," said Sachiko, "You need to meet someone nice. You're a man now, it's about time for you to settle down!"

"I know," said Light, smiling weakly.

"Hey, I know! Mom, the family is getting together soon, right?" asked Sayu.

"Oh yes… A week or two from now. Our family reunion," said Sachiko, her face lighting up. "Light-kun, you're coming, aren't you?"

"Yes, I'm looking forward to it," said Light.

"Perfect!" said Sayu excitedly. "You could meet someone there!"

There was an awkward silence as everyone stared at Sayu in horror. She was completely serious.

"…Uh… That is… I mean… Not someone _related_ to us…" Sayu laughed nervously, scratching the back of her neck. "I mean… People are always bringing their friends. There should be a lot of singles your age, Light!"

"Oh, really?" asked Light, bringing a hint of eagerness in his voice. Anyone who knew him very well would know it was fake.

"Yes! And lots of them have the hots for you, Light," said Sayu, a sly grin crossing her lips. "And they're pretty cute, too. It would be easy to find someone!"

"And Jin's friend, Yuri. Wasn't she top of her class?" said Sachiko, getting giggly. "You two have a lot in common, if you spoke with her you'd hit it off right away!"

"…I would, would I?" Light's frown was so quick it was practically unnoticeable.

"No doubt about it!"

"Yes," said Soichiro, his tone growing dangerous once more, "I must say that I'd be quite… _shocked_, if you couldn't find someone at this gathering."

Light fell silent, gazing at his father. As the smiles of his mother and sister became strained, Light gave a weak grin. "I'll… give it a shot."

--

L rushed to the door as soon as he heard the car pull into the driveway. Impatiently yanking it open, he met Light halfway down the walk, capturing Light's lips with his own and pulling the man into a tight embrace.

"I missed you," L whispered, running his hand up and down Light's back. The man was tense, and leaned against L with no resistance.

"L," Light said weakly, "You were watching the whole time, right?"

"Yes," said L, leading Light carefully back into the house, wrapping an arm around Light's shoulder.

"I'm sorry for saying so, but… you were right not to come." Light put an arm around L's waist, leaning his head against the man's cheek with a sigh. "This will be tough…"

"We'll get through it, Light-kun," said L, closing the door behind them once they were inside. "Just leave it to me."

"I'm sorry for saying I'll try to find someone new," said Light.

"I'm sorry for saying I hate your father," said L.

"You never said that."

"I have now."

Light gave a dry chuckle, going to the couch and throwing an arm over his eyes as he lied down. L came to stand over him, in his regular slouch, his thumb at his lips.

"What's the matter between you and your father, Light-kun?"

"Nothing," Light groaned.

"Do you want me to point out how obvious that lie was, or shall we just skip that and go straight to the truth?"

Light scowled. "Fine." He sat up, and L sat next to him, drawing his knees to his chest. They leaned against each other, and Light sighed as L wrapped his arm around him again, rubbing up and down his arm.

"When I was fifteen…"

--

Author's Note: CLIFFHANGER LOL

XD Sorry, sorry. Anyway...

I know Soichiro came out slightly OOC in this. But there is a reason!

Next chapter: The dramatic reason behind the family drama. Well... maybe 'dramatic' is the wrong word.

Please review!


	4. Chapter 4: Mr Fixit

Author's Notes: Hello all! Sorry this took so long. I was participating in National Novel Writing Month, so I had no time for writing anything else... Sorry... But now that's over, so I'll have some more updates. Yay!

I never said so, but I have a poll on my profile for what story to work on first after Rollerskates and Sleep Talking. It is currently at a four-way tie... With four options. So while you don't need to run off to answer it, since it will be up for quite some time, please keep in mind that it's there.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

--

"When I was fifteen," said Light, "My dad walked in on me… kissing another guy."

L blinked. "This was when you were fifteen, Light-kun?"

Light raised an eyebrow. "Um… yes?"

"Wow, Light-kun. I'm impressed you were able to come to terms with your blatant homosexuality that long a—ouch."

"I am bisexual, and I am manlier than you, jackass," said Light, pulling back his fist from its previous position connected with L's cheek. "Now let me explain."

L nodded as he rubbed the side of his face, which was turning red with the imprint of Light's fist. "Go on, Light-kun."

"Thank you." Light leaned back against the sofa and crossed one leg over the other. "My dad had to work late, and my mom had gone out to some book club or something. My sister had invited some friends over to hang out while they were gone, and they pulled out this wine bottle…"

"And that was when the crazy drinking party started," L interrupted. "Joy was spread across the room rapidly in the form of cans and jelly shots. The girls started taking off their shirts and waving them over their heads, cheering you on as you made out with the hot guy who had been giving you 'those eyes' from across the room for most of the evening. You woke up next to him the following morning, naked and with your arms wrapped around a live goat. It's okay, Light-kun. I think no less of you. You were intoxicated."

"…The wine bottle was empty, L," said Light, "They wanted to play Spin the Bottle."

"Not as interesting, but it will do," said L with a shrug. "Again… Go on."

Light gave L a suspicious glare for a moment, expecting him to interrupt again, but then relaxed and went on with his story.

"As I was saying, they pulled out this _empty_ wine bottle and told me they wanted to play Spin the Bottle," said Light, crossing his arms over his chest. "I told them they could go ahead if they wanted to, but then Sayu said she wanted _me_ to join in."

"Sorry for interrupting again, but is your sister into incest, Light-kun?" asked L. "The family reunion, and then asking you to play Spin the Bottle with her…"

"She made it perfectly clear that if we landed on each other, we would spin again," said Light, glaring at the author. "So we started playing, and on my spin, it landed on her friend Shuichi."

"I am not happy that you remember his name, Light-kun."

"Shut up, you jealous fool. Anyway, as we started getting kind of… um… into it… my dad walked through the door, home earlier than we had expected."

"I see," said L, nodding in understanding. "And that is why your father is now a heartless, cruel, merciless, ruthless, vicious, nasty, brutal…"

"Swallow a thesaurus today, L?" Light deadpanned. "I get the point."

"Yes. Well. That is why he is so cold to you?"

"Yeah," said Light with a sigh. "I was able to explain about the game, so it wasn't as bad as it could have been, but ever since then he's just seemed so… _suspicious_ of me." Light got closer to L on the couch, who gave his shoulder a small, comforting squeeze. "As though he's waiting for me to do something that will prove I'm not what he thought I was… That I'm… I'm no good…"

"Light-kun, don't say that," L murmured. He leaned his head against Light's, speaking softly in his ear. "Your sexuality means nothing. And it shouldn't mean anything to your father. Do not judge yourself by his beliefs, Light-kun." L kissed him on the cheek. "You are a good person, Light-kun."

"I… I…" Light swallowed, and a single tear fell from his eye, followed by another and another until he was bawling in L's arms. L didn't say a word, just rocking along with Light's sobs and waiting for him to cry himself out. Light buried his face in L's chest, but whether he was seeking further comfort or trying to hide his shame was hard to tell.

After what seemed like forever and yet not long enough, Light pulled away, wiping the last of his tears from his eyes. "I'm sorry… I don't know what came over me."

"It's all right, Light-kun," said L. "You were stressed. I'm sure you've never really cried about it before."

"You're right. I haven't," Light murmured, eyes downcast. "I've always looked up to my father, and the fact that he could… could _hate_ me…"

"He does not hate you, Light-kun," said L, stopping Light from going back into his distressed state. "His mind is merely clouded by his prejudice." L wrapped his arm around Light's shoulder, and the two lay against each other once more.

"I'll fix it all," said L, "Don't worry."

--

"Light-kun!" said L, popping into the bedroom where Light sat reading on the bed. "It has taken me a whole fifteen minutes, but I believe I have come up with the perfect solution."

Light put his book down, sitting up on the bed. "What is it?"

"The family reunion is next Saturday," said L, crouching next to Light on top of the bed. "At the Saikai Hotel. Correct?"

"Yeah," said Light.

"Here is what we will do," said L, putting his thumb to his lips. "You will go in first. You will say hello to your family, be reunited and whatnot. I will be waiting outside, and when I get the signal—I have not determined what the signal will be yet—I will come inside, go straight to your side, and kiss you full on the lips in front of everyone."

"You'll—wait—what?!" Light's eyes widened in horror. "Why would you just do that?"

"I'm not finished yet," said L. "As I was saying, before I was so rudely interrupted," L continued, ignoring the muttered 'hypocrite' from Light, "After I pull away, when I am sure I have everyone's attention, I will announce that we are in love with each other and that you are very, very homosexu—ow. _Bi_sexual. And I might announce my name, too, I guess."

Light pinched the bridge of his nose and groaned. "What _is_ it with you and crazy schemes?"

L dropped his thumb and made what was little more than a pout. "You are absolutely no fun and I am beginning to hate you for it, Light-kun."

"Why do you need to treat all of our important issues as opportunities for 'fun'?" Light snapped. "Our life isn't just a _game_!"

"Life _is_ a game, Light-kun." L's eyes narrowed. "And it is a game I am determined to win."

Light slapped his hand to his face in exasperation. "You've got to be kidding."

"I'm not," said L. "I am not trying to make your issues seem less serious than they are, Light-kun. I just don't see why we have to go about these things in a more stressful way than necessary."

"Your plan _is_ a more stressful way than necessary!"

"All right then," L muttered, turning away so his back was to Light. "If you don't want to go along with my plan, you don't have to."

"Fine," said Light, also turning away. "Maybe I won't."

The two glowered like this for quite some time, neither of them moving or speaking to each other.

After much thinking had been done, Light sighed and turned back to L. "All right… Maybe your plan isn't _that _crazy." L blinked, surprised, as Light scooted closer to him and put his hand on his. "If you took away the kiss out of nowhere, I mean. If I just introduced you to them… Everyone at once, so it would no longer be hidden at all… It could… It could work."

L smiled. "Then we shall give it a try."

"Wait. Two things," said Light. "One, you will come in _with_ me. It's not a surprise party. Two, you won't make a huge show of it. Got it?"

"If the circumstances allow, Light-kun," said L, "I will follow your instructions to a 'T'."

"…If the circumstances allow. Of course," said Light, rolling his eyes. "Well, I suppose that's the best I can get."

"It is," said L. He leaned in and kissed Light on the cheek with a smile. "I do hope you aren't still upset with me, Light-kun."

"That's too chaste," Light murmured as L pulled away. The brunette grabbed L's chin and pulled him in again, pressing their lips together. They broke apart, and Light grinned. "I'm still a little upset… But that can be fixed."

"I'll fix it all," said L, smirking, "Don't worry."

--

**Author's Notes:** Annnnd fade to black. XD Short chapter, I know. I was going to add more to it, but that would throw too much in one chapter, and make it _too_ long.

Next chapter: _This could be a minor complication..._

Please review!


	5. Chapter 5: Very Important Purchases

Author's Note: Hello, everyone! New chapter at last. Sorry about that, holidays, you know. I guess that's why the whole of FF has seemed kind of quiet lately; not too many updates from anyone. I hope you all had a great holiday, and are still having a great one.

Oh, and I finally figured out how to do that long line break. Heh heh. It's fun to discover things.

* * *

Six days later, on a bright Tuesday afternoon, L was out on the town. He had gone out on a _very important_ shopping trip to purchase a _very important_ item, and now that that was done, he browsed the stores, marveling at the fantastic things he saw there. After a long time of drooling over the elegant cakes in the window displays and cringing at the screechy pop music blasting from the girls' clothing shops, he turned a corner and found himself in front of a sporting goods store.

L paused in front of it, the hand in his pocket toying with his wallet as he considered going inside.

"I have been wanting to buy some skates," he murmured to himself, walking through the door.

The store was filled with rows and rows of sunglasses, hats, and polo shirts. On the walls was the actual sporting equipment, including bicycles held on platforms above the shoppers' heads, and golf clubs kept inside of glass cases as though they were precious jewels in a museum. The store was not very crowded in terms of customers, and L thought at first he was alone in the store, save some cashiers and a guy with a very large broom sweeping up something on the other side of the room.

But then he noticed some shoppers here and there, a woman browsing the tennis shoes, a man looking at the golf clubs. Young children weaved through the polo shirts, chasing each other and giggling loudly.

L spied some boxes that looked like they might contain rollerskates and shuffled over to that aisle.

The aisle was empty save a lone woman with long black hair further down the row. She had her back to him, and L gave her only a passing glance. He turned to look over the various brands of skates, wondering which one would be best.

_So expensive,_ he thought, _I'm glad Light-kun has some already…_

"Ryuzaki?"

L glanced up to see the woman with the long black hair staring at him in amazement.

Except it wasn't a woman.

_Oops._

"It is you! Ryuzaki!" Mikami exclaimed excitedly. "Oh my gosh, I never thought I would see you outside of the book signing! This is amazing!"

_Ah, crap. _"Yes, uh… Mikami, wasn't it?" said L. "Very nice to see you, Mikami-san."

"You remembered my name," Mikami murmured, his eyes shining.

"…um…"

"I am so happy to see you, you have _no_ idea," said Mikami, "I didn't get to talk to you as much as I wanted to when we met at the book signing, and I've wanted to tell you about how much I love your work! There is no end to my admiration of your writing! Akira is the greatest character I have ever read about, and he just got stuck in my heart. And that scene where they were on the roof of that building, and Akira almost fell off, but Takayoshi caught him just in time! Oh my gosh! My heart was pounding so hard, I thought it was going to jump out of my chest! And then there was the scene at their office, when they…"

L stopped listening at this point. _God, this guy talks a lot. And he was the one who was flirting with Light… I really don't want to bother with him._ _And he's practically squealing. Maybe he is a woman after all. …Nah, his chest is too flat, his voice too low. Maybe he got a sex change. I think you can get your voice deepened. Then again, his face isn't feminine, just his personality. Maybe he was just a manly-looking woman, who figured she might as well have a body to go with the face. But wait, no woman would do that. Would they? Or maybe he was a woman that wanted to be a gay man. Or he could just be a very, very gay man. I think that winking man gave me his number. I should hook them up. That would be fun to watch._

Somehow, throughout all these thoughts, which took a very long time, Mikami had found the words to keep talking. In fact, even now as L was coming back from his daydreams, Mikami still had things to talk about. L normally had the patience of a boulder (if he came back to life, it would certainly shut the person up, but he would just stay quiet and let them ramble), but this man was seriously irritating.

"…And then I wanted to talk to you again _so_ badly, because you know that guy that looked _just_ like Akira? Wait, of course you know! I saw you both in the same car, and I realized you had to know each other and that Akira had to be based on him," said Mikami, "And I was hoping you could introduce me…"

"Wait a minute," L interrupted, "What?"

"I said I was hoping you would…"

"No, no. What did you say you saw?"

"Oh!" Mikami grinned sheepishly. "I wasn't following you or anything, really. I walked out of the store and I saw Akira walk into your car."

"Impossible," said L.

"What? Why?"

"Because that didn't happen."

"Yes it did," said Mikami, frowning in confusion, "I saw him walk into your car."

"Akira did not walk into my car," said L. "Nor did anyone resembling him in any way."

"But he did."

"No he did not."

"Yes he did."

"No he did not."

"He did."

"He did not."

"He did!"

"I am telling you, nothing of the sort occurred."

"How can you deny it?" Mikami snapped. "I _saw_ you! There's no point in denying it!"

"Perhaps you saw _me_," said L, "But there was no way you could have seen Akira. Or the man who looked like Akira. Because he was not with me."

"Yes he was," said Mikami. "I _saw_. There's no point in denying it."

_Damn it. _"All right, I concede. The man was with me," said L. "What does it matter to you?"

"Why are you so determined to hide it?" asked Mikami. "Are you ashamed that you based a character off of a real person?"

"Of course not," said L. "Anyone would have used Light-kun as a character. Sometimes even I scarcely believe he's real, and start to think he is a mere figment of my imagination, a vision of beauty I thought up only to keep my loneliness away."

Mikami thought this over for a moment, a light blush dusting his cheeks. His lips barely moved as he murmured, "Light…"

_Shit._ "If you start stalking him, I will kill you."

"Wha-?! What the hell?" Mikami clenched his fists and twisted his lips in a furious scowl. "Does he _belong_ to you or something?"

"Yes," said L. "In fact…"

He reached into his pocket and pulled out his _very important_ purchase: a small band of gold inside a blue velvet box.

"This Saturday at the Saikai Hotel," said L, holding up the box for the incredulous Mikami to see, "I will be proposing to Light, and we will be married."

Mikami stared at the box with wide eyes. And then his eyes narrowed into slits.

"Saturday. Saikai Hotel, eh?" asked Mikami with a smirk far too evil for comfort. "I see."

_God damn it!_ thought L as he put the box safely away in his pocket. _I need to stop drinking. It burns my brain cells and makes me stupidly give out information like this._

Without another word to Mikami, L grabbed a pair of skates from the shelf and walked away.

After the skates had been purchased, L walked out of the building and stood on the walkway, breathing in the fresh air. (At least, it was as fresh as city air can be.) He supposed he ought to be going home now.

_I'll take a different route, and make some unnecessary turns here and there,_ thought L, thinking about how to throw Mikami off so the man wouldn't know where he lived.

As he thought this, his phone began to ring, vibrating wildly in his back pocket.

L reached around and pulled it out, lifting the phone to his ear and flipping it open. "Hello?"

"_Ryuzaki! I'm glad I could reach you."_

"Ah, Takada-san," said L. "What do you need?"

"_We just got the 'okay' to have another book signing. At the Shobou Bookstore. It's a really big one this time, will definitely improve publicity and sales."_

L shifted his weight from one foot to another, his free hand toying with the skate-filled plastic bag it held. "And when is this book signing?"

"_This Saturday, from ten to one."_

L scowled. _Of course. _"I apologize, Takada-san, but I have something planned for that day…"

"_Oh no! No way. You're not backing out of this. Do you know what I went through to get that signing? __**Do you?**__"_

"I'm sure I have no idea, Takada-san, but really, that's simply horrible timing…"

"_Whatever it is, move it to some other day! This book-signing can't be moved for anything, and I'm sure as hell not going to cancel!"_

"Takada-san…"

"_Do you know how many times that manager looked down my shirt? Do you have any idea how disturbing it is to have a man who is old enough to be your father, who actually has a slight resemblance to said father, place his hand on your thigh?!"_

"All right, Takada-san, all right, I'll make it work!"

"_Thank you!"_ With that, she hung up.

L sighed heavily and put the cell phone back into his pocket. "This Saturday, Shobou, ten to one," he said to himself under his breath, so he would remember. "Wonderful."

* * *

Author's Note: Oh man, my names suck. Shobou means bookstore. It's the Bookstore Bookstore. And Takayoshi means "High Justice". Now I'll be stuck with those names and those scenes if I ever write Casements. (I probably wouldn't make it as great as I make people in the story claim it is, but it would be really fun to write someday. It would be sort of like the Tales of Beadle the Bard, wouldn't it? Writing a story from my own story... heh heh heh.)

Poor Takada. Review for Takada! That would be really disturbing, and your reviews would make her feel better.


	6. Chapter 6: Putting Plans Into Action

Hello, all! New chapter ahoy.

Anyone else in the cold season? Yeah, I got hit by it. Pardon my French, but I feel like _merde_. ('Merde' is French for 'shit', by the way. Or so the online translator tells me. At least the illness didn't take away my sense of humor.)

Also, for all who give a care, my cat keeps trying to steal my watch. I'm not sure if I should kick her out of my room or cut off her paw.

Anyway, you don't care about this. Here's the next chapter, thanks for waiting!

* * *

Light was in a good mood. He hadn't been in such a good mood in a while. Normally something had to happen to put him in a good mood, such as capturing a criminal or finding money on the ground, but today he was just happy.

In his cheerfulness, he started cleaning the house, an activity he had always found enjoyable (and L had always found torturous). By the time L got home, he had cleaned four and a half rooms, and the kitchen counter was spotless.

"Welcome back, L," said Light, coming to L's side and kissing him hello. "You've been gone a while. Did you get the skates you wanted?"

"Yes, I did," said L. "I left them in the car for when we go to the rink on Thursday."

"Sounds good," said Light. He took in L's expression and frowned. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong, Light-kun," said L, averting his gaze.

"…Do you seriously suck at lying that much, or are you not even trying?"

"I suppose I could have put more effort into it," L muttered. "Light-kun, we need to discuss something… It's about Saturday."

"Oh," Light murmured. "Um… Okay, what is it?"

"Let's sit down first, Light-kun," said L. They moved to the couch and sat down, facing each other. "Okay. Now, let me first clarify that this isn't a huge deal, just a small issue we need to plan around."

"You're sounding very dramatic for a small issue," said Light, raising an eyebrow.

"I know, Light-kun. I'm just unsure of how you'll feel about it." L sighed. "The fact is, Light-kun, I am unable to come with you to the family reunion."

Light gasped. "_What?_"

"No, no, wait. Let me rephrase that, Light-kun. It is not that I cannot come at all," said L, "I just cannot come in _with_ you."

"Why not?"

"There's a book signing," said L. He scowled. "I tried to get out of it, but Takada wouldn't let me. She apparently went through a lot to get it."

"Why would she need to go through a lot to get a book signing?" asked Light, frowning in confusion.

"When your genre is homosexual intercourse with some blasphemy tossed in," said L, "Bookstores don't usually want you around in person."

"Oh." Light sighed. "How long is it?"

"It's from 10 to 1. I should be able to get to the reunion some time before it ends," said L. "Speaking of which, when does it end?"

"It ends at 3:30."

"And it starts at 11?" asked L incredulously. "Are your relatives that eager to get away from each other?"

Light scoffed. "They just planned it around everyone's schedule."

"Busy schedules," said L. "Anyhow, I will be able to get there at…" L looked up for a second, then back down. "…1:35 PM. Assuming there are no unexpected delays."

"Well, that's not too bad, I guess," Light murmured. "At least it will give me time to speak to my family without anything being too awkward."

L's expression softened. "I'm sorry, Light-kun… I throw everything in your life off balance."

"No, L, don't say that," said Light, "That's not true."

"Yes it is, Light-kun," said L. He placed a hand on Light's shoulder. "If you don't want to, Light-kun, we don't have to do this. I could just not go. There's no need to tell your father, and he can't truly force you into another relationship, can he?" Leaning in, he kissed Light on the cheek softly, speaking in his ear. "I don't want to push you and your family away from each other."

Light grasped the hand on his shoulder and gently pushed L back. He smiled, looking into L's eyes. "No. I want to tell them," said Light. "I want my family to know." He laughed half-heartedly. "And besides, what kind of relationship would I have with them if I couldn't even tell them I'm living with someone?"

L smiled. "If that's what you want, Light-kun."

"It's what I want," said Light. The brunette leaned forward and wrapped his arms around the other man's torso. With his lips at L's ear, he murmured:

"You don't throw my life off balance, L… You're the one who sets it right again."

--

"Today is the day. On this pale-lit morn, we embark on journeys that could change our lives forever. For better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, we leave our homes behind for the homes ahead. No second thoughts. No backward glances. Life smiles upon us; whether this smile is kind or condescending, we shall not know until our journeys' end.

"Undoubtedly this journey will be full of hardships. We can only push on and fight to the conclusion. There is nothing more for us, in this final hour, this day to surmount all days. Bring us good fortune, higher spirits, and bless us with eternal victory, may this battle hold a loss or win for us, your pawns in life's game of chess."

"L… you're weird."

"Thank you," said L. "Higher spirit knows I try."

"Do you have everything you need?" asked Light.

"Considering I don't need anything," said L, "Yes, I believe I do."

Light rolled his eyes. "Good. Now go. Takada would be pissed if you were late."

"You know her so well, Light-kun, and yet you haven't even met her." L pulled Light in for a kiss, and then turned to the door. "I'll be at the hotel around 1:35, remember. Meet me outside, and then we'll come in and you'll introduce me."

"I know," said Light. He smiled. "See you then."

L nodded and walked out the door. As soon as it shut behind him, he reached into his pocket, fondling the small velvet box it hid.

"I hope," he murmured, "That this won't turn out the way it did with Misa."

With that, he got into the car and drove away.

--

The bookstore was crowded. L could have described it better than that, but he didn't feel the need. Besides, the people were blocking most of the surroundings from view.

Of course, none of them were lined up where L would sign his books, excluding about five or ten people. The crowd was probably just a coincidence.

L sat down at his desk and picked up his pen.

"All right," he said, taking the book that was handed to him, "Let's get through this."

--

Eleven o'clock. Light was at the hotel, and he was nervous.

The reunion was taking place in the Sakai's Grand Ballroom. The whole thing had been paid for by Light's wealthy uncle-in-law, who tended to show off his monetary prowess in random and extravagant ways. The family reunion was a new one, but Light figured his uncle was on a nostalgia binge as of late.

But it wasn't the thought of how much money had been wasted on the foul-smelling miniature sandwiches that unnerved Light.

Nay, what truly unnerved him was how the friends of his relatives, whom he had known since he was a child, were checking him out big time.

Not only was it disturbing, but it also made pretending to have flirting trouble just a little more impossible.

Light sighed. _Grrreat._

Taking a deep breath, Light stepped toward the women and braced himself.

He smiled charmingly at the nearest girl, praying that his discomfort didn't show. "Hi."

--

Meanwhile, Mikami was putting his own plan into action.

Originally he was just going to go to the hotel and sabotage everything. But then his subscription to the Casements website provided him with a convenient new opportunity in the form of a generic e-mail.

_**This Saturday, 10 to 1, at the Shobou Bookstore—meet Ryuzaki in person! Casements book signing! **_

Needless to say, he had never been more delighted to see spam.

At 12:30, he glanced inside the window of the bookstore to make sure that Ryuzaki was still distracted. Seeing that the author had his hands full, Mikami slunk around the building to the parking lot and picked out the car he knew to be Ryuzaki's.

Crouching next to the tires, Mikami drew a pocketknife from his pants' back pocket. "I'm coming, Akira…"

* * *

Author's Note: Writing that first part made me realize how very corny and mushy this story is. At least Mikami is here to be the Drama Relief. (Get it? Instead of 'Comic Relief'? Ha ha, ha ha, ha... Okay, maybe the cold took away my sense of humor.)

When L says 'the way it did with Misa', he's referring to when he tried to propose to Misa in Mudcaked Shoes. Just a reminder, as I'm pretty sure all of you have read MS. If not, well... why would you read the sequel? O_o

Thank you for reading. Please review!


	7. Chapter 7: HiHo Silver, AWAAAAAYYYYY

Oh my god.

Has it really been two months?

Yowza. Yowza yowza yowza... that's bad. That's really bad. My deepest apologies.

On the bright side, I'm not dead! And this story has not been abandoned!

I know this chapter is really late, and it's pretty short, but if I squeezed anything else into this chapter, it would be too much. It's a pretty eventful chapter, considering the mostly emotional moments we've had in the past. So I hope you'll like it anyway.

Thank you for waiting. Here's the chapter!

* * *

The book signing was finally over, and L couldn't be more relieved. Though he did secretly enjoy having a fanbase, it was disturbing what kinds of people inhabited it. He assumed—or, more accurately, hoped—that the odder ones were always the ones who showed up to book signings.

Or maybe he was just unlucky.

Highlights of the day included Crazy Cat Lady in Public (there was enough fur on her shirt to hide a whole cat; maybe it did, he thought he heard meowing once), Mr. I'm-Just-Doing-This-For-My-Wife-I-Swear (uh-huh, yeah… sure), and Oops! My Bad (which applied to such options as 'Girl Trips and Falls Naruto-Style', 'Girl Gets Hot Guy to Trip and Fall Naruto-Style', and 'Accidental Punch in the Face' (which could have been an actual accident, but he wasn't so sure anymore.))

Anyway, it was over, and L could leave. He checked his pocket for his keys and ring, and then made his way out the door to the parking lot.

The sight of his car made him stop in his tracks.

All four tires were slashed open, his windshield was now a massive, gaping hole, and 'THE WEDDING IS OFF, BITCH' had been scratched into the door.

A great mess it was, and a great mess it was for L.

L could have continued gaping. He could have started screaming or cursing. He could have called a tow truck or the police. But he didn't have time for any of that. He knew who had done it, and he knew where they were going.

And he knew that he had to get to the hotel as quickly as possible.

He looked into the driver's window, cursing when he saw that his cell phone was gone. Calling Light and telling him about the situation was out. He scanned the area for a bus stop or a taxi, but none were around.

L groaned and sat down to think, biting his thumb angrily. Walking would take about an hour and a half, or longer. Even if he found a bus, he knew there were no routes that took him directly to the hotel, and he couldn't call for a taxi without his cell phone. He had no bike available, or any other mode of transportation…

L froze.

Yes he did.

He shot up and grabbed his rollerskates from the backseat of the car.

--

Moments after L discovered the sabotage, Mikami was arriving at the hotel. The black-haired book fanatic pulled into a nearby parking lot and prepared himself for a long wait. Leaning back in his seat, he ran the details of his plan through his mind for what was about the fifteenth time.

He wasn't sure why Light was at the Saikai Hotel, so he had no idea what room the man was in, or if he was even in a room. Besides, there was no way Light would trust him if he hunted him down in the hotel, no matter what excuse he came up with. Light was sure to go outside and check for Ryuzaki after the man didn't show up on time, though it could take a while before Light got worried enough to do so. After enough time, Light would either think that Ryuzaki had stood him up or that the man had gotten into some sort of trouble, especially when he didn't answer his cell phone. The third time Light called Ryuzaki's cell phone, Mikami would answer, and claim that he had heard the cell phone ringing on the ground and picked it up. He would then ask Light's location and arrive ten minutes later to return the phone, at which point he would pretend to recognize the brunette and start a conversation, possibly comforting the man, who would be in a more fragile state because of his lover's disappearance. If Light didn't call three times, Mikami would wait for him to come outside again and then drive past, stopping when he 'recognized' him, again using the fragile state in his favor. As he had left Ryuzaki with no mode of transportation or communication, either of these situations was sure to occur before the author arrived, which would give Mikami time to win Light over.

The plan was perfect. It took a long time to read, but it was perfect.

Mikami sighed happily, folding his hands over his chest. _Light… Akira…_

--

Light had missed his family, and he wanted to spend time with them, but he was having too hard a time keeping his anxiety hidden to be truly focused on the conversations. Though he managed to stop himself from checking his watch every five seconds, the time was constantly on his mind, and every minute that passed by filled him with new fears and reasons to panic.

The time when L was supposed to arrive was hastily approaching. Light realized that he had been pretty much ignoring the girls at the gathering, and prayed that his father hadn't noticed. He glanced over to the refreshment table to check.

It seemed that his father hadn't noticed, which was good. But Light knew there was no way his father would be unaware of a random man coming in and announcing his son's homosexual tendencies.

And L would be arriving any minute now…

…Annnny minute now…

…Now?

Light sighed. _He must have been stuck in traffic…_

--

Cars filled the streets, driving bumper to bumper as the overcrowded state of Japan once again caught up with those with wheels. With the lights changing every few seconds and only one or two cars getting past each time, anyone with a place to be would arrive hours later than they intended. The traffic grew thicker and thicker as more and more cars packed into the road.

And L was flying past all of them.

His arms and legs pumped back and forth in a synchronized rhythm, the wheels of each foot spinning at an intense rate with each swipe. His every move left a loud whirr in its wake, becoming a low, scraping hum as he skated at top speed over the concrete. Each memorized turn was made with only the slightest hesitation to keep himself from skidding into the street.

Bystanders leapt out of the way, and rebellious teenagers stared in awe. L took no notice of any of them. His mind was focused entirely on getting to his destination.

Another turn. He was halfway there now. It had taken him about a half an hour to get to this point, which was how long it would have taken him to go the whole way by car.

But L didn't know or care how long it had been. He just wanted to get to the hotel before Mikami made his move.

He pushed on, increasing his speed. Stopping to rest didn't even cross his mind.

_Light-kun… I'm coming._

_

* * *

_

**Author's Notes:** I've been wanting to give you guys some background on where this story came from, but I couldn't, because it would give away this scene. But now that you've read it, I can go ahead and explain!

This whole story was inspired by a really weird dream I had a while before I started writing this. The dream involved Misa dressed as Princess Peach, L, Light, and a demonic bulldozer. (I kid you not. My dreams are insane.) But the most crucial part was at the end of it when L was suddenly wearing rollerskates, and was skating down a long dirt road with Light waiting for him at the end. When I woke up, I was like, "Wow... that was interesting." And then inspiration struck.

And now you know where this came from! I've never based a story off a dream before, so it was a fun experience. Still is. This was the most fun to write, though, because I've had this scene planned from the very beginning.

Anyhow, you guys ought to know that this story is nearing its end. (Which is the main reason I kept this chapter short. I want it to end at nine chapters, like MS did.) So there are most likely two more chapters left... They will be fun, trust me. At least I think so.

(As a side note, for those who didn't get the reference, the chapter title is referring to Bill Denbrough in It by Stephen King. He always rode a huge bike which he called Silver, which went at amazingly fast speeds. Whenever he got on it, he would cry out, "Hi-Ho Silver, AWAAAAYYYYY" before taking off. I thought it would be a cool thing to put as the title. Or you could just consider it a reference to the show Bill got it from. Either way.)

And that's all I have to say. Oh, wait, one last comment: Isn't L in amazing shape?! I could never skate for half an hour straight, at least not at that pace...

Please review!


	8. Chapter 8: Finishing Touches

Hello, everyone. Yes, I know... it's been a very, very long time. I have no excuses whatsoever. But you won't have to deal with such late updates again (at least not for this story) because this is, believe it or not, _the very last chapter!_

Yeah, I didn't think it would be either. But once I started writing, I realized that breaking this into two chapters just wouldn't work.

And so... we reach the end. The grand finale. The femme fatale... wait, wrong expression...

I hope you enjoy the last chapter!

* * *

Light sighed, glancing at the window. L was taking a really long time, and he was starting to worry about him. He was tempted to call the author's cell phone, but he didn't want anyone to question him about whom he was calling. Instead, he told the people he was talking to that he wanted to take a quick break for fresh air, and went outside to check if L was coming.

He pushed open one of the double doors and stepped onto the pavement, a light breeze sweeping around him and picking up his hair. He lifted a hand to hold it down, looking left and right for the familiar car with the familiar mop of black behind the wheel.

Unfortunately, the street was lacking in both. The cars that sped past had nothing to do with him, and the people who walked by might as well have been pigeons for all he cared. L was nowhere to be seen.

He looked at his cell phone longingly, as though just staring at it would cause it to ring. No matter how hard he wished it to, it made no sound.

He sighed again, turning to go back inside. He would check again later…

--

Later came, and L still wasn't there. It had been over an hour past their agreed time. If L took much longer, it would be too late. Light certainly wasn't meeting anyone, and he suspected that his father had noticed. Despite the risk of someone asking about it, Light knew he had to call.

Once again taking a break for 'fresh air', Light stepped outside and quickly dialed L's number. He put the phone to his ear and listened to it ring, muttering under his breath, "Come on, come on, come on…"

No answer.

Light cursed and dialed again, once again putting the phone to his ear. "Come on, damn it!"

Still no answer. Light cursed once more, looking around on the small chance that L was nearby. He was nowhere to be seen, just as before.

Light groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. He paced around, wild thoughts bouncing around his brain.

_Did something happen? Is he hurt? Maybe he was robbed, and they took his cell phone. That would explain why he isn't answering… No, I'm being rash. He simply lost it and got caught in traffic. No, no traffic is this bad. He's hurt. Oh god, L's hurt… Should I call the police? I am the police! I know this isn't enough reason to call. But L's hurt… L's hurt… I just know he's hurt…_

As irrational fear built up steadily inside him, Light failed to notice the car that drove past and suddenly stopped nearby.

"Hey, I remember you," came a familiar voice. "Are you all right?"

Light turned. "Oh… I know you. From the bookstore."

"Yeah, Mikami," said the man, grinning. "I'm glad you remember me. Are you okay? You look like something's wrong."

"I'm fine," Light assured him. "It's just… I'm waiting for someone. They were supposed to show up a while ago, and I'm worried."

"Have you tried calling them?" asked Mikami.

"Yeah, but there's no answer," said Light, sighing. He sat on the curb, his head in his hands. "I don't know what to do…"

"Hey now," Mikami murmured. He sat next to Light and tried to resist a smirk. "It'll be all right…"

"_Light-kun!_"

Light gasped and got to his feet. "L?"

It was L, but not in any state Light had seen him in before. L was drenched in sweat, his black hair matted to his forehead. His face was red, and he panted for air, rolling weakly towards Light on the skates he had bought just a few days ago.

Light stared at L, the skates, and then at L again. "Did you _skate_ all the way here?!"

"Mikami… trashed… my car," L gasped, coming to Light's side. Placing a hand on Light's shoulder to hold himself up, L paused to breathe, his free hand on his knee. "Just… give me… a second…"

"He did _what_?!" Light looked back at the shocked Mikami, then back to L. "Why?! …L, are you okay?"

"Fine… just… completely… exhausted…" L hadn't caught his breath yet, but he still got up, rolling to Mikami. He snarled, "I'm going to… _kill_ you, you bastard…"

He gave out a cry as he lost his balance and face-planted into the sidewalk. He gave a low groan, straightening up and removing his skates. "Just a second…"

While L untied the laces of his skates, Light got to yelling at Mikami. "You _trashed_ his _car_? _Why_? What did he do to you?!"

Mikami stood and backed away, grimacing. "Uh… I… uh…"

"Okay, I'm ready," said L, kicking away his skates. He stood up, stalking towards Mikami. "I hope you're ready for a beating, you annoying, obsessive, idiotic asshole!"

Light gasped, staring at L's sockless feet. Skating that long distance without socks on had left L's feet and ankles covered in blood.

L didn't seem to notice, grabbing Mikami by the collar of his shirt and pulling back his fist. Before L could throw the punch, Mikami kicked L's tired legs out from under him. The two stumbled to the ground, and the fists began to fly. It was a mad tangle of limbs, and Light was so flustered that he could barely make out who was punching who, let alone split them up.

His mom ran out of the hotel, staring at the fight with wide eyes. "Light, what's going on?"

Before Light could answer, Mikami hit L square in the jaw, sending the other man flying. L groaned, rubbing his chin and wincing.

"L!" Light kneeled by the author's side, fussing over him in a panic. "L, what is this fight even _about_?"

"You," L answered, lifting himself up on his elbows. "Mikami tried to strand me at the bookstore so he could come here and make a move on you."

Sachiko gasped. She glanced between the three men, confused and bewildered.

Light, however… was angry.

"_What_?" Light stood, turning around to glare at Mikami. "You did all this… over _me_?"

"I… Aki—Light," Mikami stammered, still on the ground. "I… I just…"

"Don't call me by my first name, you asshole," Light growled. He strode to Mikami and lifted him off the ground by the shirt with one hand. "You destroyed L's car, stranded him at the bookstore… And, seeing how you made a point of approaching me when I was panicking, tried to take advantage of me. Is that right?"

Mikami opened his mouth to say something, but Light interrupted him.

"I've only seen you once before in my life. You don't even know my surname! And you expect me to let you just walk into my life?" Light shouted. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"I d-don't understand," Mikami murmured, "Akira never would have reacted like this…"

"I've got news for you," said Light, pulling back his fist for the punch of a lifetime. "I'm not Akira!"

--

It wasn't long until Mikami was beaten to a pulp, lying in a heap on the sidewalk. Light's family members were gathered by the doors of the hotel, murmuring amongst themselves. Light had called the police to arrest Mikami for destroying L's car, and he was now helping L to his feet, ignoring his family for the time being.

"L, are you all right?" Light asked. "I mean, you didn't just get in a fight, you also skated for over an hour… Which is _really_ impressive, by the way."

"Thank you. I'll be fine, I just need some rest," said L. "What I took is nothing compared to what you did to _him_." He jerked his head to Mikami, who was twitching on the ground. No one was making any move to help him. "Good lord… maybe you _are_ manlier than I am."

Light laughed and smiled. "L… You did so much for me…"

An angry voice took away his smile. "Light… who is this? What just happened?"

Light turned to his father, who was glaring at him and L. Light grimaced. _There's no getting out of this one…_

"Light," said Sachiko softly, laying a hand on his arm. "Please… you can tell us."

The brunette nodded. He remembered his mother's gasp when she heard the men were fighting over him, and knew there would be no point in lying.

It might destroy his relationship with his father forever… but he had no choice.

He smiled sadly, taking L's hand. "This is L. L Lawliet. We've been living together for several months now." Light looked to his family, taking in their expressions of shock without letting his own expression waver for even a moment. "And we're in love."

"Congratulations!"

Light blinked, looking at his sister with wide eyes. "Huh?"

"I'm so happy for you, Light," said Sayu, her eyes shining as she tackled her brother happily. She giggled. "I always knew you were gay!"

"You… you did…?"

The group burst into an uproar as all of Light's family crowded around him, showering him with joy and encouragement.

"You two are so cute together!"

"I… uh… never really expected it, but as long as you're happy…"

"I wish _I _could find a man who would fight for me."

"Congratulations, Light!"

"Congratulations!"

"Congratulations!"

"Congratulations!"

Light stared at his family in awe. His eyes filled with tears, and he laughed, wiping them away. "Thank you… everyone…"

"I won't accept it."

Everyone got quiet as Soichiro pushed through the crowd and stopped right in front of his son, sneering with fury. Light recoiled automatically, staring at the ground pitifully.

"You're not a man," Soichiro growled, clenching his fists in anger. "You disgust me! You're a disgrace to this family." He took another step towards Light, spitting in the boy's face when he shouted. "I hope you're happy. I hope you're happy that you've dishonored us all! I must have gone wrong somewhere, seeing how you've turned to _perverted filth_ to get your kicks…"

L scowled and stepped forward to defend Light's honor, but Sachiko beat him to the punch.

The slap she gave her husband made a sound that rang for several seconds, the smack practically echoing through the silent crowd. Soichiro was frozen, his eyes open wide in bewilderment.

When he could finally move again, he placed a hand on his cheek and turned to his wife, looking betrayed. "Sachiko…"

"Don't you give me that look," Sachiko snapped. "You've gone too far. How _dare_ you? He may be your son, but he's old enough to make his own decisions, and you should respect that! _You _are the one who is dishonoring our family!" She pointed to Light, who was staring at her with the same bewildered expression Soichiro had worn moments ago. "Apologize to your son!"

Soichiro glanced at Light. Light stared back, the sad look in his eyes forcing his father to look away.

"…I refuse," Soichiro muttered, turning and walking back inside the hotel.

Everyone stared after him, but no one tried to stop him. L put a comforting hand on Light's shoulder, and Light gave him a small smile, his eyes downcast.

"He's just being stubborn," said Sachiko, taking Light's hands in hers. "Please don't take it too hard, Light…"

"I was expecting it," Light murmured. "Don't worry about me."

Sachiko smiled sadly. She pulled him into a tight embrace, whispering, "It'll be all right… I'll convince him somehow." She pulled away. Her smile was happier now. "I'm glad you've found someone, Light."

Light smiled back. "Thanks, Mom."

"If I may," said L, stepping forward. Sachiko nodded, and L took Light by the hand, turning him so they were looking into each other's eyes.

"I was hoping to look a little better for this occasion," said L, smirking as he gestured at his bruises, ripped clothing, and bloody feet. "And I'm not sure if this is the best time for this… but if I don't do this now, I don't know if I'll ever be able to."

Light gasped as L took a knee in front of him, putting a hand in the pocket of his jeans.

L pulled out the velvet box that contained his very important purchase, and held it to Light on his open palm. He flipped it open, revealing the gold ring that rested inside.

"Light Yagami," said L, "Will you marry me?"

Light stared at the ring, almost too surprised to speak. "…L… R… Really? Are you serious?"

"Yes," L assured him. "More serious than I have ever been before."

"But… But we can't," Light stammered, "Same-sex marriages are illegal in Japan…"

"Then we'll move somewhere where it's legal," said L, getting to his feet. He placed his free hand on Light's arm, still holding out the ring. "We can afford it, and if it's to be with you, I'd go anywhere!"

"In that case…" Light smiled and laughed, wrapping his arms around his lover. "Yes! Yes, of course I'll marry you!"

The two kissed beneath the afternoon sun, and the crowd around them cheered. And as L slipped the engagement ring onto Light's finger, they both felt in their hearts that everything would be okay.

END

* * *

**Author's Notes: **And there you have it! This story is finally over. All's well that ends well, except for the father issue, but that's another story that you guys can think about on your own time. Because I'm not making any more sequels!

I was actually going to write a story about where they go after this, but I've decided not to. But I still like the story idea, so maybe I'll write it someday as something unrelated to the Mudcaked Shoes duo. You never know.

Thank you, everyone for all your patience, reviews and love! All of you are what made this story possible, because if I didn't have people telling me to update, I'd probably forget for a lot longer than three months... that's the kind of idiot I am...

I hope that you all enjoyed my story. Thank you for reading!

-Kit


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